I can't count the times I start a job and be like WTF why isn't this working or fitting right.... Then I shamefully read the instructions and go.... Oh.... Well that would of made it easier....😂
My catalytic converter was stolen from my 2014 Kia, Sportage three days ago. Although my auto insurance covered the theft, the replacements costed approximately $1600 for the catalytic converter and $459 for the damage caused to the part removing the catalytic converter. Repairs were done at the Kia dealership. Also, I had to rent a car for two days and my deductible was $1,000. This theft incident was devastating. Every automobile owner should get a catalytic converter theft protector installed.
That is False Your kia catalytic converters are under the hood next to the engine Hard to get to so I know you lying 🤔 I got a kia too & the theft have to go thru all those wires to get to it
I'm in Phoenix AZ. A friend had her Cat stolen from her 07' Element a month ago. I had never heard of this craze. I have an 03' & 04'. At 430am this morning I heard a very loud sound right in front of my house that's In a cul de sac. My Elements are parked in a covered patio. After 5 seconds of loud noise I opened the front door to see a truck and some guy near the Element furthest from me. He jumped in his truck. He only cut halfway through the first cut. My cameras didn't pick-up anything. I ran out the house naked holding my nut sack Screaming MFr! Lessons learned; 1. Get two of these kits. 2. Get more cameras.3. Sleep with shorts on. Much gratitude to our Phoenix Police department. They were here in a couple minutes.
I own a 2003 EX which I bought new. My catalytic converter has bee stolen twice. The last time cost my insurance company $4000.00 thru the Honda dealership. I was surprised that they didn’t just total the vehicle. I ended up interviewing a few muffler shops about their ideas to fabricate a protective cover. I made my choice and so far, after two years, no problems. The reality is, if a thief is given enough time, they can cut thru just about anything. My job, was to make it a hassle not worth the trouble to even begin to cut.
So, if you wanted to really cut down on these thefts you need to go to the recyclers that are paying them. No metal head tweaker should have 40 catalytic converters.
Dude you nailed it on the head! I recently had my CAT etched with a unique number by the sheriffs dept. I asked them so what happens if my cat gets swiped...there answer “if the recycler wants to report it we can trace who stole it” you think a recycling place is going to report after shelling out money for it!
Yup! Just like pawn shops that let thieves pawn Tide laundry soap and sh*t. Ain't no one legit buying too much laundry soap then pawning it. They're basically legal "fences" for criminals.
I’m a plumber and I was at the scrap yard the other day scraping copper. Some guy walked in with rolls of brand new type L soft copper to scrap. They didn’t even question him. It had to of been stolen.
there is nothing about being a fan of metal music that makes someone a thief. But recyclers take anything from anyone as the junk business doesn't come with a title. I've had 40 cats to scrap before. I'm also a mechanic and had a legit reason for having them. But if I was asked to prove I owned them there is no way I could. If you sawed the cat off of your own car there is no way to prove it came from your exact car nor is there a way to prove you legally own it. Going to a scrapyard with a cat is just like cashing in aluminum cans. Its a commodity with a fixed price and it will be put on the pile.
My mechanic installed this exact cat protector on my Honda Element. A few months later, the O2 censors failed which apparently was as a result of the cat overheating. I am not 100% sure if the censors failed due to the overheating, but be aware that this design could be flawed.
My dad made a custom caged cover for his old van years ago... there were a few times someone drilled into his gas tank to steal gas... so he added a thick outer plate underneath to hopefully prevent this from happening again. As long as he made it difficult for them to drain directly into a container they weren’t gonna try
This is such a big problem. Iv gotten so many calls from people thinking the engine is about to blow up. I show up and the cat is gone. It’s always people who can’t afford to replace it. It’s so sad
@@an0therdimensi0n99 Unless it’s older than a 96 or you live in a state that doesn’t have smog inspections you’re going to need that converter sooner or later.
@@tomasacevedo3932 that is correct if you don't know someone who knows a shop that will fly under the radar. i deal with a ton of bs living in a major city, but one of the upsides is, "that mechanic" can be found rather easy. if you get my drift.
@Thor Odin son And? I've seen people so cheap and poor that that can't even put wiper blades on thier vehicles. Some won't even put a small light bulb in their car.
Finally found this guy, when I was in Juvenile Hall they had Galaxy tablets with this guys videos on there. I watched all of em. They were all of his earliest videos. Been looking for this channel for a while, but couldn’t remember the name. It’s crazy how long you been doing this man. Keep it up
@@madmax8620 lol...you only got one nut? Sorry bro...I guess it’s just like kidneys....you’ll still be okay with just one...🤣🤣🤣🤣..yeah, yeah..I know what you mean..but cmon man!
@@bigb7157 And scream and holler at them in 5 years when the bolt rusts in and the whole thing turns. Definitely not a great place for them under a car, it's a easy way out.
Eric, I must say of all the star mechanics on YT, you certainly take the lead in the way you present your material and use the English language. Always a pleasure to watch your excellent videos.
You should watch someone that knows auto repair then... Parts hangers and real techs are COMPLETELY different. Ericthepartshanger is like drunk scotty, entertainment but.... Scannerdanner, southmainauto and a few others are far better when it comes to learning auto repair and actual diagnostics.
@@sjfk1306 Different strokes for different folks, fella. Eric is very accessible to everyone. Someone like Diagnose Dan or LM Auto Repairs or Pine Hollow cater to the more advanced viewer. Not everyone would enjoy their videos. I agree about Scotty though, he’s an idiot lol.
My apartment parking garage is in the heart of midtown Houston, completely gated and you need to download an app just to unlock it. Even with all of that, we had three cars catalytic converters stolen last week. It's crazy out there.
About 12 years ago, I had just gotten my truck out of the repair shop after a wreck. That day, I drove over 600 miles to Kansas City. Before I got a hotel room, I stopped at my favorite watering hole in midtown for supper. When I came out, I caught two thieves in the process of trying to cut out my cat. They managed to get away and the cops were about as useful as a football bat, but the thing that really ticked me off is that I had just gotten the truck out of the shop and now I had to bring her back in to weld up the cuts in my exhaust. The guy that did the welding job said that there were a lot of cuts down there. It looks like the idiots kept hitting the O2 sensor mounts. He figures that they must have broken a few blades before I chased them off. Watch your trucks, folks. Thieves love 'em because they don't need a jack.
Cops were " as useful as a baseball bat", yet you who was present at the time of theft, with the thieves on your eyeballs managed to accomplish as much as a popsicle left outdoors in Saudi Arabia
I’ve welded 2 Braided metal rope cable twisting on the pipes which burns out sawzaw blades thus slowing down thieves… also painted the cable and pipe day-glow paint so thieves will ID and “see it” quickly thus move onto an easier victim.
Had both my converters stolen from my 06' Tundra. A chain pipe cutter made it easy & likely took no more than a couple minutes. It cost several thousand to replace. Insurance covered it. I welded rebar to all the exhaust pipe & this stopped them when they tried again. Super cheap. Protect your cats any way you can.
I live/work in Northern CA and Cat theft is on the rise here in a big way...it seems like it had all but disappeared for years around here, but over the last month or so there have been several thefts in my town alone (60,000 residents approx) -- I've personally had three come thru the shop for replacement following theft just this month! Just some FYI for your CA viewers. This is a solid idea/product so thanks for the video...I love it!
Like others have said, the scrapyards and metal recyclers who look the other way (or flat encourage theft) when people come in with multiple converters need to be fined or shut down, and have guilty employees/owners arrested. Until then...this trend will keep getting worse.
Hate to play devil's advocate but are you saying you would like precious metals to just store in a garage and not contribute to the automotive economy? I agree that the buyers are 50% of the problem but what the buyers do with the material is feeding the economy. We have a shortage of those types of materials.
@@syntrexfpv1347 Are you saying there is no way of recycling these precious metals in a better fashion? I've heard ideas of VINs on cats and no car to match = no cat buy back...Simple fact is with no shady buyers we would have no more cat theft.
@@zenFreq From my understanding not in a way that is profitable to both the buyer and seller. Again playing devils advocate not everyone is stealing. If someone really wants to they can spend a day at a junk yard pulling cats and its completely legal.
@@syntrexfpv1347 in your example the cats would match a junked car. The stolen ones wouldn't. There has been many ideas that would make this business less desirable to thieves. For example having to give IDs. Accepting a delayed payment after it's been cleared that the cat was not reported stolen if it has vin on it., Etc.. I remember Ericthecarguy making a good youtube video on this topic.
Just found that the company that makes the Cat Security systems is about 4 minutes from my home. There are constant reports of Cat thefts and arrests in our area. Usually Prius and Nissan NV200 vehicles. Eye opening. Thanks for another great video, Eric!
My friend had the converter stolen during a church service. That's when the ushers started patrolling the parking area. His insurance company said that the converter was past its normal life (like a worn tire) and wouldn't cover it. I suggested that he show the insurance company the results of a recent emission test to show that the converter was still working. He chose not to do that, but I think it is worth a try.
This is not really a cost-effective solution. Spot welding a couple lengths of rebar (the stronger the better, but anything will do) to the cat at a few spots along its length will be far cheaper and just as effective. If you don't have a welder, a muffler shop can do it for you, and if you do the prep work yourself, it'll cost very little.
within or without BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
Hey Eric , our Element has been hit 3 times - all of them in the employee parking area at my employer ( a Swedish flat pack company ) in the wee small hours of the morning . On the first one , our insurance covered $1,500 of the $2,073 overall cost . But the next one they wouldn’t . After theft 3 , you know what we did ? We found a muffler guy in our state KS who just straight piped the exhaust for $100 . No , it won’t pass an emission test & yes we feel guilty about pollution , but we simply couldn’t afford the cost of yet another replacement . Also , the muffler guy said he was surprised that the thieves went for the refurbished converters as they are less valuable than new ones . * One other thing : The guy at our car workshop said that for an extra $500 he could install a plate the would deter theft , but not guarantee it . I’m guessing that this might’ve been the casing that you’ve installed here . But we didn’t have that extra $500 on theft No.2 . Thank you for the video though 👍
I thought I got mine stolen last week in front of Old Navy at 290 but when I took photo for insurance and they got scared off and only cut one end and it only took me $20.00 for welding. Thank you god and the employees that scared them.
Easier said than done with stainless steel. It's going to eat sawzall blades up like crazy, plus take longer to cut, and be much more difficult to bend. Thieves will move to an easier target.
I just had my cat stolen while in Lowes in the middle of the day and parked in direct view of the cameras. 34 second removal with a reciprocating saw. Insurance is looking to total my truck due to value vs cost of repair. I'll probably replace it my self with some winch cable security. Good video and information for whoever can use it. Good job E.
Caught a couple back in November trying to steal mine. Had a level sensor on my viper alarm and it triggered the silent alarm. Got a free jack out of it.
Oh yeah..... the ol' copper jacketed lead core self propelled drill bits. Followed up with an ol' J.I. Case 580B. The complete Scum-Bag-Removal Kit. My theft determent system isn't a sticker, its a gun rack on a Backhoe where anyone can see it.
Attach a cheap bicycle alarm (one that has a remote) to a cinder block/brick, etc. They're waterproof and can be found on Amazon for around $10. Place the alarm inside the block and place it under your car/truck in your driveway below the catalytic converter. Ensure the block/brick has just enough clearance that your car-truck wont hit it, but not enough that they can access the converter with a saw with the block in place. You can make marks on the driveway to ensure youre always parked above the block. When you leave, use the remote to disarm the alarm and re-arm on return. These bike alarms are sensitive to vibration. Its next to impossible to move the cinderblock or brick without setting off the alarm and warning the whole neighborhood, but arent easily set off by wind and such. These alarms are really loud, and when the alarm goes off, theyre going to scramble out from under there and run. Youre welcome. :)
sounds like a terrible idea you just came up with and never tested. most cars have low ground clearance and cant drive over a cinder block without causing a ton of damage. most trucks have so much room under them you dont need a jack to change the oil. a cinder block wouldn't even be in the way. maybe an SUV would work but you didn't mention those.
Sorry, mine is actually Astro Pneumatic. They also make an air powered version, for tight environments. They also make different mandrels for different Rivnuts. I also bought the extra multi pack Astro-Pneumatic-Tool-1442-Setter There are so many uses and applications for Rivnuts. One cool thing I discovered- install a suitable Rivnut, then install a rivet where a bolt would normally go. The rivet bites into the threads of the Rivnut. I've also got into the habit of installing a washer behind a rivet or Rivnut, it adds huge strength to the bond.
Ive electrically disconnected the cat from the exhaust system and I have a special cord I made up that I plug into the dryer outlet and the other end hooks to the catalytic converter.
Any and all recycling facilities who take catalytic converter’s should have to pay a $10.000 fine for recycling catalytic converters until something is done, this is absolutely ridiculous.
They need to use a Mad Max style of expolsive security system for the thieves, that may stop the theft after a few of them hear about their comrades blowing up.
i secured my cat with 316 stainless chain. two loops around the cat and a loop around the ends of the cat. then ran the chain to the frame and tack welded it. 316 stainless chain can not be cut with bolt cutters.
I’m glad you said that at the end, I was about to say they would just cut the pipes further up and the. Cut that box and bend it out of the way and be gone with the cat
I've been watching your channel for some for some time now. My wife just said I should let you know the mileage on our 2003 Element that we bought new. Right now it has 495,??? miles. I have Replaced the engine/transmission at 220,??? and swapped the second transmission at 305,???. When my wife asks if I'm going to replace the car I tell her I'm will. At 1,000,000.
Hi Eric, thanks for the video. The original catalytic converter was recently stolen off our 2005 Element in a grocery store parking lot, in broad daylight. They took off the two sensors too. We had an aftermarket cat converter put on and two weeks later that one was stolen as well, this time they left one sensor behind. I read somewhere that shields (don't remember the specific brand) cause a vibrating/resonating noise when the engine is on. Does this happen with the shield you are installing in this video? Also, does the shield overheat at all? Thanks.
Why spend extra time bringing a low profile jack when you can just target SUVs, roll under and sawzall in a minute? 1 guy parks a car next to a SUV to block the view, roll under, cut, leave, done. Happened at my work parking lot. I don't need to worry with just 4" of ground clearance on my Accord.
Where I live this one guy was doing it even quicker he just had a chain that had two hooks on it and he clipped it to both sides of the exhaust and just ripped it out with his truck. Please said it was a two-man team and they were doing it to fund their addiction gambling and pills.. so it doesn't really matter how low if they're desperate they'll get it. Though this system probably wouldn't hold up either
@@securityguy really? A sawzall??? Lol 😂😂😂 how fast you think you can cut out a cat with a sawzall? Versus a right angle impact wrench? Not to mention the sound 😂😂😂😂
@@deandalapanda That's how they do it. That's why cars show up to exhaust shops with irregular cuts on the exhaust pipe. Saw it first hand myself. Keep loud music going while you cut, why not? It's not possible to loosen rusted bolts using just impact in the snow belt. You need heat, that would take too long.
thanks SO much for this video and the info! just 2 days ago, my 72 year old mom had her cat converter stolen. from guess what? a honda element. and it was a sawzall that they used (they accidentally left it in her driveway beside the car). she hasn't had a new converter installed yet, so i'm going to let her know about the cat security, otherwise, it'll just happen to her again. thank you, my friend....
BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
I basically have used out of service crane cable and a welder for many MANY years. one length is welded along the length of pipe at intervals, 40 ton cabling is over an inch thick, its a 7x7x13 bundle and made from a higher carbon steel everything but a carbide blade will get ruined on before going through. Getting lengths of the cable is pretty easy, call a crane company.
cool video! I had to install one of these to my Prius last week, we were the 4th in our neighborhood losing the cat hehe. Hey, would you do a video on those alarm add-ons to the factory alarm (Shock sensor and tilt sensor), I have added just the shock sensor on mine but it would be really helpful if you made a video for all the folks that are still figuring out how to protect their cats. Thanks! stay safe
BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
Nice solution, but the truth is, if you simply had a collar made of hardened metal that slipped over the inlet/output exhaust pipe, it would accomplish the same thing. Hardened metal will destroy most sawzall blades. That allows it to breathe better and makes for o2 sensor changes much easier. I spotted the "universal cat heat shield anti-rattle fix" as well :)
Not sure if that would work unless you covered the entire exhaust. What's to stop a thief from just cutting the pipe elsewhere? I haven't experienced any adverse issues since installing this. Thanks for the comment.
That one got me. I've been waiting on some poor soul to call me about my vehicles extended warranty so I can waste their time pretending to be an older slavic gentleman talking about a fictitious 1992 Zastava Yugo and all my memories I have of "back in my old country" until they loose their minds.
Bought this CAT SECURITY SHIELD, installed it and have had the worst time with it. Maybe they sent me one made for different vehicle? but the one I installed has produced a horrible rattle due to exhaust vibration hitting the shield. You can't hear it outside the element, but inside at a stoplight, it's terrible. I have adjusted and adjusted and adjusted.....replaced hangers. Everything. Only way to stop it, is to take it off (which sucks because of all the rivets) and angle grind the damn thing into compliance. I don't recommend Cat Security.
Here in the U.K. - the thief’s will just pull up in a stolen car or their own ,get out 3 men strong and Jack up the victims car in broad daylight and unbolt the cat , they even wear high vis jackets as if they are supposed to be working on the car
BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
I'm glad I don't have to deal with emissions crap in my state. I cut mine out last year! It runs better now. Just added a flex pipe that cost $20 in place
Start etching the VIN into the converter and have the metal reclaim centers verify before purchasing the converter. When they run the VIN and the vehicle shows to have a current registration, then it is probably stolen.
Wow, Eric actually reads and responds to some of the comments..... Oh Yeh, and makes useful videos without clickbait.. Unlike someone, I know that recently moved from Texas to a state where his son lives. I stopped watching that other guy's videos because of his clickbait.
Got my cat. stolen yesterday on my Honda element 2008, it cost me $1535 to replace, I am buying one of those kit; thieves who are looking for cat. are most likely not looking for anything else on old cars; so it is a very good deterrent.
Don't park where anyone can easily access your car, including on street parking. Never leave your car in an estate away from your apartment.. unless you remove it yourself, Buy an aftermarket, these aren't worth the time stealing. Do what you wish with the OEM one, sell it or keep it
Check out the cat strap security system. They have a model that comes with an alarm. If you had an air bag suspension, theoretically you could wire the alarm to lower the vehicle if tripped.
Having had to cut through structural sections of a car body to get parts to repair my car, I can tell you cutting through the frame rail to get the catalytic converter would destroy all the guys saw blades.
@@AlexandarHullRichter I could get that cat out in 10 minutes with a cordless angle grinder and (1) cutoff wheel. Maybe even get that down to 5 minutes.
Something like that would be very useful on any vehicle with cats. I like that somebody has thought to release a product to combat the rise in cat theft.
BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
I bought a '98 Lincoln Navigator for $200.00 because someone tried to steal the Cats in it. It costs more than the whole truck is worth to have them replaced & fix the floor they mangled in the attempt. Runs good, Looks good, Interior isn't too bad, so I basically bought it for the disc brake rear end and nice leather seats I can use in one of my Rat Rods. Sad that things like this can kill someone's whole car/truck.
catalytic converter theft has been a problem in europe for many years there were entire parking lots full of new cars raided over the night for all the converters
After the catalytic converter was stolen from my 2005 Honda Element, I decided to so some research on where these stolen catalytic converters end up. I learned some interesting things.
I do have a truck which they could easily get underneath but it wouldn't do much good because my cats right at the collector for the manifolds right by the freeze plugs, you're not getting a sawzall in there. even if you could it's too big a hassle for how small those cats are.
Funny you posted this - I just read an article in Hemmings just a few days ago about this very thing! They said one of those elements in the converter - I can't recall which one specifically - was $27,000 PER OUNCE!! Holy crapper! Almost 20x the price of gold!! The heck with Fort Knox - I'm headed to the cat plant! LOL! I also recall reading a while back that a heavy duty Ram pickup was #3 on a list of the most expensive / valuable catalytic converters in the automotive world! #1 and #2 on the list were 6-figure exotics, like Maybach and Lamborgini ... then you see, "Ram 2500" - that was comical! I find directions usually confuse me more than just having at it, and figuring things out for myself. Different sized fasteners usually get me too, BUT, sometimes there are key steps that need to be performed first, otherwise you'll have to take everything apart again to perform that particular step. That always bites me in the butt. It's like the forces of the universe know I hate doing things twice ... :D
Metals used in cats Platinum $1,314.95/oz palladium $2,420.50/oz rhodium $21,500.00/oz cerium $57 per 100 grams manganese $27.45/oz nickel $8.4840/lb that is about current price as of 19 FEB 2021 12:17ET
@@SmittySmithsonite Problem with these metals is they are HARD to refine unlike gold/silver. those prices are for .999 fine. cats ain't going to be .999 fine its the "mess" of all of them together which lowers the price you get.
@@Dratchev241 - I figured that, plus all the carbon and burnt engine oil residue baked into it. Price varies widely by brand and model, too. Some Chrysler cats are high dollar items at the scrapyard. Must have a thicker layer and / or more of those elements in them.
Interestingly, it's my understanding, that they use the same metals to produce hydrogen vehicles. Hence the reason I don't think those will ever take off. Thanks for the comment.
I wish I would have caught the guy up under my Taco. As soon as he saw me, he jumped into his getaway vehicle and him and his partner laid rubber. If I had caught the guy under my truck, the driver would still have gotten away, but I guaranty that the fella with the saw would have told me all about him before the cops arrived.
I had a cat stolen off my Sequoia 4x4 last year. Thankfully the repair was only a couple hundred bucks. The whole exhaust needs to be replaced on my rig anyway, but after I replace the whole system, I'll definitely have a "skid plate" installed over the cats as a deterrent.
I say go thru emissions, remove your cat, put in a piece of tube, and drive without it. you can pay up to 2 years for the tag, and when its due -- put it back in, Rinse and repeat.
Great video. Personally, I would not use Pop rivets but instead, I would use self-tapping screws so that I can still remove the shield to access those sensors.
The scrap amount varies depending on the amount of prescious metals they contain. That scrap value is going to play into which cats are targeted much more than ease of access would.
I was on the fence about buying this, more so on the side of NOT due to high price. At the end you convinced me that I am right not to buy it, since I think my CAT is bad. I used to get the P0420 engine code intermittently, now it is permanent pretty much. Replaced both sensors and it is still there.
I removed mine and tossed it apparently before things got really bad and tons of cars in my area were getting the cats ripped off. Ticked me off a little because where the hell are they getting money for the things. I couldn't find a scrap place around that would take my old one before this mess. At least I don't have to worry about it now.
@@potardo9851 Yeah there is some corruption going on somewhere, in my experience try and scrap anything like a cat or a bunch of copper wire and you're going to have a really hard time convincing someone you didnt steal it.
Love these elements man. My dad has a 06 EX-P 2WD with the 5MT. Had it new since 2006 and he's coming up on 400k Miles. Original transmission and engine. He's preparing to do the timing chain service.
You would think this kind of thing would come standard from the factory, but they don't care because it's more money in their pockets when your cat gets stolen.
Had mine stolen from an 05 Element in broad daylight in a very busy area. Only takes a few seconds. Quite a headache to get it sorted. Installed this same Cat-Security box over the new one. Hope it keeps the next ***hole from ruining my day.
"Not reading instructions before installation." A true hallmark of a real car guy. It's in the DNA.
What are instructions?
In my defense I looked at the pictures.
@@ericthecarguy - We might be related ... 😂🤣😂
I can't count the times I start a job and be like WTF why isn't this working or fitting right.... Then I shamefully read the instructions and go.... Oh.... Well that would of made it easier....😂
@@JM-tj2kl - Ain't that the truth! 😁
My catalytic converter was stolen from my 2014 Kia, Sportage three days ago. Although my auto insurance covered the theft, the replacements costed approximately $1600 for the catalytic converter and $459 for the damage caused to the part removing the catalytic converter. Repairs were done at the Kia dealership. Also, I had to rent a car for two days and my deductible was $1,000. This theft incident was devastating. Every automobile owner should get a catalytic converter theft protector installed.
That is False Your kia catalytic converters are under the hood next to the engine Hard to get to so I know you lying 🤔 I got a kia too & the theft have to go thru all those wires to get to it
P
Except that most theft protectors don't work. The cat Shield failed on My Gen 1 Prius- the thieves just ignored it and left it intact.
I'm in Phoenix AZ. A friend had her Cat stolen from her 07' Element a month ago. I had never heard of this craze. I have an 03' & 04'. At 430am this morning I heard a very loud sound right in front of my house that's In a cul de sac. My Elements are parked in a covered patio. After 5 seconds of loud noise I opened the front door to see a truck and some guy near the Element furthest from me. He jumped in his truck. He only cut halfway through the first cut. My cameras didn't pick-up anything. I ran out the house naked holding my nut sack Screaming MFr! Lessons learned; 1. Get two of these kits. 2. Get more cameras.3. Sleep with shorts on. Much gratitude to our Phoenix Police department. They were here in a couple minutes.
I own a 2003 EX which I bought new. My catalytic converter has bee stolen twice. The last time cost my insurance company $4000.00 thru the Honda dealership. I was surprised that they didn’t just total the vehicle. I ended up interviewing a few muffler shops about their ideas to fabricate a protective cover. I made my choice and so far, after two years, no problems. The reality is, if a thief is given enough time, they can cut thru just about anything. My job, was to make it a hassle not worth the trouble to even begin to cut.
So, if you wanted to really cut down on these thefts you need to go to the recyclers that are paying them. No metal head tweaker should have 40 catalytic converters.
Dude you nailed it on the head! I recently had my CAT etched with a unique number by the sheriffs dept. I asked them so what happens if my cat gets swiped...there answer “if the recycler wants to report it we can trace who stole it” you think a recycling place is going to report after shelling out money for it!
Yup! Just like pawn shops that let thieves pawn Tide laundry soap and sh*t. Ain't no one legit buying too much laundry soap then pawning it. They're basically legal "fences" for criminals.
@@stargazer2504 laundry soap??!..what??
I’m a plumber and I was at the scrap yard the other day scraping copper. Some guy walked in with rolls of brand new type L soft copper to scrap. They didn’t even question him. It had to of been stolen.
there is nothing about being a fan of metal music that makes someone a thief. But recyclers take anything from anyone as the junk business doesn't come with a title. I've had 40 cats to scrap before. I'm also a mechanic and had a legit reason for having them. But if I was asked to prove I owned them there is no way I could. If you sawed the cat off of your own car there is no way to prove it came from your exact car nor is there a way to prove you legally own it. Going to a scrapyard with a cat is just like cashing in aluminum cans. Its a commodity with a fixed price and it will be put on the pile.
My mechanic installed this exact cat protector on my Honda Element. A few months later, the O2 censors failed which apparently was as a result of the cat overheating. I am not 100% sure if the censors failed due to the overheating, but be aware that this design could be flawed.
Did you get it removed or install an alternative?
My dad made a custom caged cover for his old van years ago... there were a few times someone drilled into his gas tank to steal gas... so he added a thick outer plate underneath to hopefully prevent this from happening again. As long as he made it difficult for them to drain directly into a container they weren’t gonna try
This is such a big problem. Iv gotten so many calls from people thinking the engine is about to blow up. I show up and the cat is gone. It’s always people who can’t afford to replace it. It’s so sad
advise them to not put another cat on then. run straight pipe and some clamps for $20 from autozone
@@an0therdimensi0n99 Unless it’s older than a 96 or you live in a state that doesn’t have smog inspections you’re going to need that converter sooner or later.
@@tomasacevedo3932 that is correct if you don't know someone who knows a shop that will fly under the radar. i deal with a ton of bs living in a major city, but one of the upsides is, "that mechanic" can be found rather easy. if you get my drift.
If people cannot afford to repair a vehicle, bus tokens are cheaper.
@Thor Odin son And? I've seen people so cheap and poor that that can't even put wiper blades on thier vehicles. Some won't even put a small light bulb in their car.
Finally found this guy, when I was in Juvenile Hall they had Galaxy tablets with this guys videos on there. I watched all of em. They were all of his earliest videos. Been looking for this channel for a while, but couldn’t remember the name. It’s crazy how long you been doing this man. Keep it up
The main thing I got out of this was the nut-cert (which I'd never heard of before). Mental note made for future use. Thank you!
Gesipa Firebird rivet nut gun. Life changing if you do it for a living.
They're great. It allows you to install anything anywhere. Especially extra ground points for added electronics like a stereo system.
Yeah i put one in my old lady
@@madmax8620 lol...you only got one nut? Sorry bro...I guess it’s just like kidneys....you’ll still be okay with just one...🤣🤣🤣🤣..yeah, yeah..I know what you mean..but cmon man!
@@bigb7157
And scream and holler at them in 5 years when the bolt rusts in and the whole thing turns.
Definitely not a great place for them under a car, it's a easy way out.
Eric, I must say of all the star mechanics on YT, you certainly take the lead in the way you present your material and use the English language. Always a pleasure to watch your excellent videos.
High complements indeed. Thank you!
You should watch someone that knows auto repair then... Parts hangers and real techs are COMPLETELY different. Ericthepartshanger is like drunk scotty, entertainment but.... Scannerdanner, southmainauto and a few others are far better when it comes to learning auto repair and actual diagnostics.
@@sjfk1306 Different strokes for different folks, fella. Eric is very accessible to everyone. Someone like Diagnose Dan or LM Auto Repairs or Pine Hollow cater to the more advanced viewer. Not everyone would enjoy their videos.
I agree about Scotty though, he’s an idiot lol.
@@zeroyon4562a rich idiot eh
My apartment parking garage is in the heart of midtown Houston, completely gated and you need to download an app just to unlock it. Even with all of that, we had three cars catalytic converters stolen last week. It's crazy out there.
There are so many TH-cam videos about catalytic converter theft in Houston!
About 12 years ago, I had just gotten my truck out of the repair shop after a wreck. That day, I drove over 600 miles to Kansas City. Before I got a hotel room, I stopped at my favorite watering hole in midtown for supper. When I came out, I caught two thieves in the process of trying to cut out my cat. They managed to get away and the cops were about as useful as a football bat, but the thing that really ticked me off is that I had just gotten the truck out of the shop and now I had to bring her back in to weld up the cuts in my exhaust.
The guy that did the welding job said that there were a lot of cuts down there. It looks like the idiots kept hitting the O2 sensor mounts. He figures that they must have broken a few blades before I chased them off.
Watch your trucks, folks. Thieves love 'em because they don't need a jack.
My day is almost over, but I've been able to add Nut Cert and Football Bat to my vocabulary. Definitely subbing to this channel..
“Football bat”! Lol!
“Football bat” is the new “tits on a boar hog”
Cops were " as useful as a baseball bat", yet you who was present at the time of theft, with the thieves on your eyeballs managed to accomplish as much as a popsicle left outdoors in Saudi Arabia
I’ve welded 2 Braided metal rope cable twisting on the pipes which burns out sawzaw blades thus slowing down thieves… also painted the cable and pipe day-glow paint so thieves will ID and “see it” quickly thus move onto an easier victim.
Had both my converters stolen from my 06' Tundra. A chain pipe cutter made it easy & likely took no more than a couple minutes. It cost several thousand to replace. Insurance covered it. I welded rebar to all the exhaust pipe & this stopped them when they tried again. Super cheap. Protect your cats any way you can.
I live/work in Northern CA and Cat theft is on the rise here in a big way...it seems like it had all but disappeared for years around here, but over the last month or so there have been several thefts in my town alone (60,000 residents approx) -- I've personally had three come thru the shop for replacement following theft just this month! Just some FYI for your CA viewers.
This is a solid idea/product so thanks for the video...I love it!
Like others have said, the scrapyards and metal recyclers who look the other way (or flat encourage theft) when people come in with multiple converters need to be fined or shut down, and have guilty employees/owners arrested. Until then...this trend will keep getting worse.
Hate to play devil's advocate but are you saying you would like precious metals to just store in a garage and not contribute to the automotive economy? I agree that the buyers are 50% of the problem but what the buyers do with the material is feeding the economy. We have a shortage of those types of materials.
@@syntrexfpv1347 Are you saying there is no way of recycling these precious metals in a better fashion? I've heard ideas of VINs on cats and no car to match = no cat buy back...Simple fact is with no shady buyers we would have no more cat theft.
@@zenFreq From my understanding not in a way that is profitable to both the buyer and seller. Again playing devils advocate not everyone is stealing. If someone really wants to they can spend a day at a junk yard pulling cats and its completely legal.
@@syntrexfpv1347 in your example the cats would match a junked car. The stolen ones wouldn't. There has been many ideas that would make this business less desirable to thieves. For example having to give IDs. Accepting a delayed payment after it's been cleared that the cat was not reported stolen if it has vin on it., Etc.. I remember Ericthecarguy making a good youtube video on this topic.
My daughter at college just told me 15 school vans all had the converters stolen yesterday! I sent her this video to show the college.
i was taking forever to cross reference those sensor between honda and denso. Eric, you’re my hero.
Just found that the company that makes the Cat Security systems is about 4 minutes from my home. There are constant reports of Cat thefts and arrests in our area. Usually Prius and Nissan NV200 vehicles. Eye opening. Thanks for another great video, Eric!
Hey Eric thanks for showing this product over here in California lot of thieves are out here for Catalytic Converter.
My friend had the converter stolen during a church service. That's when the ushers started patrolling the parking area.
His insurance company said that the converter was past its normal life (like a worn tire) and wouldn't cover it.
I suggested that he show the insurance company the results of a recent emission test to show that the converter was still working. He chose not to do that, but I think it is worth a try.
Just buy a new one. Jesus
God was pissing himself laughing
@@johncholmes643 1400 bucks is not exactly chump change
@@JohnS-il1dr
I guess if you're a chump it isn't.
Uh, that's insurance bad faith. Go after that one.
This is not really a cost-effective solution. Spot welding a couple lengths of rebar (the stronger the better, but anything will do) to the cat at a few spots along its length will be far cheaper and just as effective. If you don't have a welder, a muffler shop can do it for you, and if you do the prep work yourself, it'll cost very little.
It's always good to see a local company popping up on big TH-cam channels
By far the best Cat sheild I have seen. Not even the one we have comes close to that one. Well done video Eric always enjoy your content 🤙
within or without
BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
Hey Eric , our Element has been hit 3 times - all of them in the employee parking area at my employer ( a Swedish flat pack company ) in the wee small hours of the morning . On the first one , our insurance covered $1,500 of the $2,073 overall cost . But the next one they wouldn’t . After theft 3 , you know what we did ? We found a muffler guy in our state KS who just straight piped the exhaust for $100 . No , it won’t pass an emission test & yes we feel guilty about pollution , but we simply couldn’t afford the cost of yet another replacement . Also , the muffler guy said he was surprised that the thieves went for the refurbished converters as they are less valuable than new ones . * One other thing : The guy at our car workshop said that for an extra $500 he could install a plate the would deter theft , but not guarantee it . I’m guessing that this might’ve been the casing that you’ve installed here . But we didn’t have that extra $500 on theft No.2 .
Thank you for the video though 👍
Imagine a thief cutting out your cat anyway and just leaving it rattling around the security box out of spite.
Or just punching a hole or two in the converter that he's unable to steal.
Or slash the tires/break the windows out of spite
Like the guy that drills a hole into the gas tank when he runs into a locking gas cap.
Because of security measures I won't disclose, they would receive their trial and sentence all in one surprising moment (to quote Mike Royko)
I could see that happening...
I thought I got mine stolen last week in front of Old Navy at 290 but when I took photo for insurance and they got scared off and only cut one end and it only took me $20.00 for welding. Thank you god and the employees that scared them.
Metal to protect metal just makes it take a few more seconds to steal. You just slice it down one side and bend it out of the way.
Easier said than done with stainless steel. It's going to eat sawzall blades up like crazy, plus take longer to cut, and be much more difficult to bend. Thieves will move to an easier target.
@@SmittySmithsonite You can grind off those rivets pretty easy. Even if they don't get it. They will do a lot of damage trying.
@@seeya205 is it really worth dying under a car over?
True, but this makes it much more difficult to steal than just cutting a pipe in 2 places. That extra time could equate to getting caught.
@@tommyguns14able Its mostly druggies that do it and for them, yes it is!
I just had my cat stolen while in Lowes in the middle of the day and parked in direct view of the cameras. 34 second removal with a reciprocating saw. Insurance is looking to total my truck due to value vs cost of repair. I'll probably replace it my self with some winch cable security. Good video and information for whoever can use it. Good job E.
Caught a couple back in November trying to steal mine. Had a level sensor on my viper alarm and it triggered the silent alarm. Got a free jack out of it.
Hey Cody, can you share how to install this?
I like to protect my car with small chunks of lead,
evenly spaced apart. 100% success rate!
Mine travels at 1,200 feet per second. ;)
I live in farm and ranch country. Theft like that just doesn't happen out here. Nearly every farm here is protected by 55 grains.
@@maingun07 Protected by lead and backhoe. thief just gets disappeared.
Oh yeah..... the ol' copper jacketed lead core self propelled drill bits. Followed up with an ol' J.I. Case 580B.
The complete Scum-Bag-Removal Kit.
My theft determent system isn't a sticker, its a gun rack on a Backhoe where anyone can see it.
@@BareRoseGarage just got to make sure you dig a deep hole to toss them in.
Attach a cheap bicycle alarm (one that has a remote) to a cinder block/brick, etc. They're waterproof and can be found on Amazon for around $10. Place the alarm inside the block and place it under your car/truck in your driveway below the catalytic converter. Ensure the block/brick has just enough clearance that your car-truck wont hit it, but not enough that they can access the converter with a saw with the block in place. You can make marks on the driveway to ensure youre always parked above the block. When you leave, use the remote to disarm the alarm and re-arm on return.
These bike alarms are sensitive to vibration. Its next to impossible to move the cinderblock or brick without setting off the alarm and warning the whole neighborhood, but arent easily set off by wind and such. These alarms are really loud, and when the alarm goes off, theyre going to scramble out from under there and run.
Youre welcome. :)
sounds like a terrible idea you just came up with and never tested.
most cars have low ground clearance and cant drive over a cinder block without causing a ton of damage. most trucks have so much room under them you dont need a jack to change the oil. a cinder block wouldn't even be in the way. maybe an SUV would work but you didn't mention those.
Thanks for this post - excellent idea! Have you done this yourself? And can you recommend a good alarm?
I’ve got one on my ebike and was thinking of a solution that would work. Not a bad idea and you can take the cinder block with you .
Sorry, mine is actually Astro Pneumatic.
They also make an air powered version, for tight environments.
They also make different mandrels for different Rivnuts.
I also bought the extra multi pack
Astro-Pneumatic-Tool-1442-Setter
There are so many uses and applications for Rivnuts.
One cool thing I discovered- install a suitable Rivnut,
then install a rivet where a bolt would normally go.
The rivet bites into the threads of the Rivnut.
I've also got into the habit of installing a washer behind
a rivet or Rivnut, it adds huge strength to the bond.
Thanks for that tip!
That’s a good tip to test your emissions before installing this thing! Good thinking Eric!!
Ive electrically disconnected the cat from the exhaust system and I have a special cord I made up that I plug into the dryer outlet and the other end hooks to the catalytic converter.
Any and all recycling facilities who take catalytic converter’s should have to pay a $10.000 fine for recycling catalytic converters until something is done, this is absolutely ridiculous.
You’re right they’re ain’t gonna spend time taking it off, I had a cat guard on mine, they cut that too, nothing beats a Diablo blade
Sad we have to go these preventive measures, good video, Thanks
I straight piped my car. Sounds AWSOME and no worries about cat theft.
They need to use a Mad Max style of expolsive security system for the thieves, that may stop the theft after a few of them hear about their comrades blowing up.
😂😂😂😂
i secured my cat with 316 stainless chain. two loops around the cat and a loop around the ends of the cat. then ran the chain to the frame and tack welded it. 316 stainless chain can not be cut with bolt cutters.
Hello. where did you get that chain?? you bolted the chain all around under de car
I have several theft-deterrent ideas, but they all involve 1/3lb of C4 in a shaped charge.
I’m glad you said that at the end, I was about to say they would just cut the pipes further up and the. Cut that box and bend it out of the way and be gone with the cat
I disconnect my Catholic converter everytime I park my car and take it with me
Have you ever replaced it with a Baptist converter?
I use Mormon converter
So what did you convert too?
@@FrenchValleyAirport Still trying to figure it out.
You reconnect your converter when going to Church?
I've been watching your channel for some for some time now. My wife just said I should let you know the mileage on our 2003 Element that we bought new. Right now it has 495,??? miles. I have Replaced the engine/transmission at 220,??? and swapped the second transmission at 305,???. When my wife asks if I'm going to replace the car I tell her I'm will. At 1,000,000.
Hi Eric, thanks for the video. The original catalytic converter was recently stolen off our 2005 Element in a grocery store parking lot, in broad daylight. They took off the two sensors too. We had an aftermarket cat converter put on and two weeks later that one was stolen as well, this time they left one sensor behind.
I read somewhere that shields (don't remember the specific brand) cause a vibrating/resonating noise when the engine is on. Does this happen with the shield you are installing in this video? Also, does the shield overheat at all?
Thanks.
It 100% happens on this CAT SECURITY one, avoid it.
Does it over heat and damage the sensors?
Thanks for this. Catalytic converter theft is a problem in my city here in California as well. I need to do this on my RDX, my CRV, and my Tacoma.
That system is definitely neat! Luckily all of my cars are low enough to deter most CAT thieves
Haven't seen how they go about it do you? They've got low profile jacks and operate like a pit crew.
Why spend extra time bringing a low profile jack when you can just target SUVs, roll under and sawzall in a minute? 1 guy parks a car next to a SUV to block the view, roll under, cut, leave, done. Happened at my work parking lot. I don't need to worry with just 4" of ground clearance on my Accord.
Where I live this one guy was doing it even quicker he just had a chain that had two hooks on it and he clipped it to both sides of the exhaust and just ripped it out with his truck. Please said it was a two-man team and they were doing it to fund their addiction gambling and pills.. so it doesn't really matter how low if they're desperate they'll get it. Though this system probably wouldn't hold up either
@@securityguy really? A sawzall??? Lol 😂😂😂 how fast you think you can cut out a cat with a sawzall? Versus a right angle impact wrench? Not to mention the sound 😂😂😂😂
@@deandalapanda That's how they do it. That's why cars show up to exhaust shops with irregular cuts on the exhaust pipe. Saw it first hand myself. Keep loud music going while you cut, why not? It's not possible to loosen rusted bolts using just impact in the snow belt. You need heat, that would take too long.
Since the Pandemic theft of Catalytic Converters is on the rise in Honolulu! Mahalo nui loa for all that you do!
Lotsa ice heads there
The best part of these too, is protects it from the elements..
Pun intended? lol
I see what you did there.
thanks SO much for this video and the info! just 2 days ago, my 72 year old mom had her cat converter stolen. from guess what? a honda element. and it was a sawzall that they used (they accidentally left it in her driveway beside the car). she hasn't had a new converter installed yet, so i'm going to let her know about the cat security, otherwise, it'll just happen to her again. thank you, my friend....
BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
How to prevent catalytic converter theft:
Run "free flowing exhaust"
Electric car.
Rust
Some States Its Required...
@@sgt.mikebaran7105 shhhhhhh dont talk like that
stright pipe
Dude this would give you enough time to kick the jack while they under car. GENIUS!
What in the heck? Hey Bob were going to have to steal the whole car cause this one has a converter lock on it, Ok!
Theif thinking 101, Lol
@@5thgenprelude703 A good thief will realize the time spent to steal the car is not worth it and move on the the next one.
Better put a steering wheel lock on it!
That was pretty good timing. Right when my brain was saying "what is a nutsert?" you said, "for those of you wondering what a nutsert is...." lol
Thanks for the video, can't wait for that video on Eric replacing his O2 sensors :)
I basically have used out of service crane cable and a welder for many MANY years. one length is welded along the length of pipe at intervals, 40 ton cabling is over an inch thick, its a 7x7x13 bundle and made from a higher carbon steel everything but a carbide blade will get ruined on before going through. Getting lengths of the cable is pretty easy, call a crane company.
cool video! I had to install one of these to my Prius last week, we were the 4th in our neighborhood losing the cat hehe. Hey, would you do a video on those alarm add-ons to the factory alarm (Shock sensor and tilt sensor), I have added just the shock sensor on mine but it would be really helpful if you made a video for all the folks that are still figuring out how to protect their cats. Thanks! stay safe
BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
Nice solution, but the truth is, if you simply had a collar made of hardened metal that slipped over the inlet/output exhaust pipe, it would accomplish the same thing. Hardened metal will destroy most sawzall blades. That allows it to breathe better and makes for o2 sensor changes much easier. I spotted the "universal cat heat shield anti-rattle fix" as well :)
Not sure if that would work unless you covered the entire exhaust. What's to stop a thief from just cutting the pipe elsewhere? I haven't experienced any adverse issues since installing this. Thanks for the comment.
"We've been trying to reach you about your catalytic converter extended warranty..."
That one got me. I've been waiting on some poor soul to call me about my vehicles extended warranty so I can waste their time pretending to be an older slavic gentleman talking about a fictitious 1992 Zastava Yugo and all my memories I have of "back in my old country" until they loose their minds.
@@potardo9851 This is great. I like that idea.
Bought this CAT SECURITY SHIELD, installed it and have had the worst time with it. Maybe they sent me one made for different vehicle? but the one I installed has produced a horrible rattle due to exhaust vibration hitting the shield. You can't hear it outside the element, but inside at a stoplight, it's terrible. I have adjusted and adjusted and adjusted.....replaced hangers. Everything. Only way to stop it, is to take it off (which sucks because of all the rivets) and angle grind the damn thing into compliance. I don't recommend Cat Security.
Here in the U.K. - the thief’s will just pull up in a stolen car or their own ,get out 3 men strong and Jack up the victims car in broad daylight and unbolt the cat , they even wear high vis jackets as if they are supposed to be working on the car
My got stolen last Sunday morning. Now I will do some prevention system. Thanks for the content.
BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
Po420 code pops the next day lol
are you sure it will not make the temperature of the catalytic converter get hotter because it covers a large part of it?
I'm glad I don't have to deal with emissions crap in my state. I cut mine out last year! It runs better now. Just added a flex pipe that cost $20 in place
Start etching the VIN into the converter and have the metal reclaim centers verify before purchasing the converter.
When they run the VIN and the vehicle shows to have a current registration, then it is probably stolen.
Wow, Eric actually reads and responds to some of the comments..... Oh Yeh, and makes useful videos without clickbait.. Unlike someone, I know that recently moved from Texas to a state where his son lives. I stopped watching that other guy's videos because of his clickbait.
Scotty Kilmer???
I learned something: nutserts! I have a 2003 Element and I love watching you work on your Element. Excellent video as usual!
Nutsert. Never knew such ting existed. Thanks.
Got my cat. stolen yesterday on my Honda element 2008, it cost me $1535 to replace, I am buying one of those kit; thieves who are looking for cat. are most likely not looking for anything else on old cars; so it is a very good deterrent.
You should see the primitive yet effective system uhaul uses to prevent cat theft.
What system?
Nevermind I just found they're welding a concrete re-bar cage around the converters! hahaha
@@FrenchValleyAirport Pretty clever! Just about every U-Haul shop seems to sell hitches, so they already have a welder on-site.
I've found that making a skid plate work's very well!
Who's here after he forgot to install the system on his other Element and had that cat stolen - on video!?
Great video, how about just a shoud for where they cut the pipe with a saw all.
Seems like a great idea
Don't park where anyone can easily access your car, including on street parking. Never leave your car in an estate away from your apartment.. unless you remove it yourself, Buy an aftermarket, these aren't worth the time stealing. Do what you wish with the OEM one, sell it or keep it
Check out the cat strap security system. They have a model that comes with an alarm. If you had an air bag suspension, theoretically you could wire the alarm to lower the vehicle if tripped.
Along with the converter being stolen you will have a hole in the floorboard too.
How is that? Doesn't work that way!
Having had to cut through structural sections of a car body to get parts to repair my car, I can tell you cutting through the frame rail to get the catalytic converter would destroy all the guys saw blades.
@@AlexandarHullRichter 'Ole cletus and his walmart sawzall might try though. XD
@@AlexandarHullRichter I could get that cat out in 10 minutes with a cordless angle grinder and (1) cutoff wheel. Maybe even get that down to 5 minutes.
@@Dave-so7sf do you regularly seal converters?
Something like that would be very useful on any vehicle with cats. I like that somebody has thought to release a product to combat the rise in cat theft.
BEWARE: Cat Secutity's Cat shield for my Gen 1 Prius completely failed! It cost me over $400 to buy and have installed after the 1st cat converter theft, but it was stolen a second time with the shield left pristine and untouched - they just cut in front of it and behind it, and removed without a scratch to the Shield. The owner of the Cat Security company said they had a fix for the Gen 2 Prius shield (which he's selling for additional cost to people whose shield failed- $40 for the part but hours and hours of labor to remove the Shield and get it all put back on right). But he had absolutely nothing to say about how to improve the Gen 1 Prius Cat Shield. And of course now I know there was no guarantee whatsoever when I brought it. I suggested he change his marketing, be more honest with buyers now that he knew the Gen 1 Prius shield was useless, and maybe stop selling it altogether. It didn't sound like he was going to. So even the "good guys" are just in it to make a buck and don't really care. So I wasted $400 + and had to deal with a second theft and replacement, and now I have to figure out some other way of deterring thieves.
Funny because my dad has his cat cut out of his element, def gonna have to invest in this.
He stole his own catalytic converter....
@@619guy202 some one cut it out, the neighborhood where he was working was pretty rough.
I bought a '98 Lincoln Navigator for $200.00 because someone tried to steal the Cats in it. It costs more than the whole truck is worth to have them replaced & fix the floor they mangled in the attempt. Runs good, Looks good, Interior isn't too bad, so I basically bought it for the disc brake rear end and nice leather seats I can use in one of my Rat Rods. Sad that things like this can kill someone's whole car/truck.
catalytic converter theft has been a problem in europe for many years there were entire parking lots full of new cars raided over the night for all the converters
After the catalytic converter was stolen from my 2005 Honda Element, I decided to so some research on where these stolen catalytic converters end up. I learned some interesting things.
That feeling when catalytic converter theft is on the rise, but yours is tucked away safely under the stairs 😂
I do have a truck which they could easily get underneath but it wouldn't do much good because my cats right at the collector for the manifolds right by the freeze plugs, you're not getting a sawzall in there. even if you could it's too big a hassle for how small those cats are.
This!
Mines in the attic straight pipe on almost everything of mine lol
Go sell em
Funny you posted this - I just read an article in Hemmings just a few days ago about this very thing! They said one of those elements in the converter - I can't recall which one specifically - was $27,000 PER OUNCE!! Holy crapper! Almost 20x the price of gold!! The heck with Fort Knox - I'm headed to the cat plant! LOL! I also recall reading a while back that a heavy duty Ram pickup was #3 on a list of the most expensive / valuable catalytic converters in the automotive world! #1 and #2 on the list were 6-figure exotics, like Maybach and Lamborgini ... then you see, "Ram 2500" - that was comical!
I find directions usually confuse me more than just having at it, and figuring things out for myself. Different sized fasteners usually get me too, BUT, sometimes there are key steps that need to be performed first, otherwise you'll have to take everything apart again to perform that particular step. That always bites me in the butt. It's like the forces of the universe know I hate doing things twice ... :D
Metals used in cats
Platinum $1,314.95/oz
palladium $2,420.50/oz
rhodium $21,500.00/oz
cerium $57 per 100 grams
manganese $27.45/oz
nickel $8.4840/lb
that is about current price as of 19 FEB 2021 12:17ET
@@Dratchev241 - Ahh, rhodium - that's the stuff! $21,500 is still up there! Thanks for the info.
@@SmittySmithsonite Problem with these metals is they are HARD to refine unlike gold/silver. those prices are for .999 fine. cats ain't going to be .999 fine its the "mess" of all of them together which lowers the price you get.
@@Dratchev241 - I figured that, plus all the carbon and burnt engine oil residue baked into it. Price varies widely by brand and model, too. Some Chrysler cats are high dollar items at the scrapyard. Must have a thicker layer and / or more of those elements in them.
Interestingly, it's my understanding, that they use the same metals to produce hydrogen vehicles. Hence the reason I don't think those will ever take off. Thanks for the comment.
Ah so you took my idea. Nice. Got mine and the gf cat stolen off our Honda Elements. I caught the guy that was cutting hers off.
...and now he's on the side of milk cartons...LOL...
@@WreckDiver99 His face kept hitting my fist and lost his sawzaw, neckless, headlamp, and temp tag off their van.
@@WheelDrivenADV ...and here I thought the car just "fell" on him while he was under it..."horrible accident"...
I wish I would have caught the guy up under my Taco. As soon as he saw me, he jumped into his getaway vehicle and him and his partner laid rubber. If I had caught the guy under my truck, the driver would still have gotten away, but I guaranty that the fella with the saw would have told me all about him before the cops arrived.
@@WreckDiver99 haha
I had a cat stolen off my Sequoia 4x4 last year. Thankfully the repair was only a couple hundred bucks. The whole exhaust needs to be replaced on my rig anyway, but after I replace the whole system, I'll definitely have a "skid plate" installed over the cats as a deterrent.
I say go thru emissions, remove your cat, put in a piece of tube, and drive without it.
you can pay up to 2 years for the tag, and when its due -- put it back in, Rinse and repeat.
I have the same car, same year. I wish I had installed one of these a week ago. I will be installing one pretty soon though.
Excellent video!
Can't they just extend the opening on the cat security system with a Sawzall in a minute or two and then just cut off the cat?
Victim of this just this morning. Thank you for your video.
Great video. Personally, I would not use Pop rivets but instead, I would use self-tapping screws so that I can still remove the shield to access those sensors.
Easier for you to remove = easier for thief to remove
Nice installation looks like a sweet little security system there for the cat @EricTheCarGuy
Just had my cat stolen off my 03 element like two weeks ago. The guys were targeting elements in town since they are higher up and the cat hangs low.
The scrap amount varies depending on the amount of prescious metals they contain. That scrap value is going to play into which cats are targeted much more than ease of access would.
I was on the fence about buying this, more so on the side of NOT due to high price. At the end you convinced me that I am right not to buy it, since I think my CAT is bad. I used to get the P0420 engine code intermittently, now it is permanent pretty much. Replaced both sensors and it is still there.
they cant steal your cat if you dont have a cat...
and live in a non emission restrictive state/county
I removed mine and tossed it apparently before things got really bad and tons of cars in my area were getting the cats ripped off. Ticked me off a little because where the hell are they getting money for the things. I couldn't find a scrap place around that would take my old one before this mess. At least I don't have to worry about it now.
@@potardo9851 Yeah there is some corruption going on somewhere, in my experience try and scrap anything like a cat or a bunch of copper wire and you're going to have a really hard time convincing someone you didnt steal it.
Love these elements man. My dad has a 06 EX-P 2WD with the 5MT. Had it new since 2006 and he's coming up on 400k Miles. Original transmission and engine. He's preparing to do the timing chain service.
You would think this kind of thing would come standard from the factory, but they don't care because it's more money in their pockets when your cat gets stolen.
Had mine stolen from an 05 Element in broad daylight in a very busy area. Only takes a few seconds. Quite a headache to get it sorted. Installed this same Cat-Security box over the new one. Hope it keeps the next ***hole from ruining my day.